Sarah Lloyd on Crafting a Unique Identity in Crowded Markets

Founder, IndigosoulPR

Could you tell us about your business and its brand identity?

I am a cheerleader for women! I am also an award winning PR expert, author, writer, radio show host and mum of two.

I've been in the media and PR business for 25 years. My expertise has always been working for challenger brands, I enjoyed having scope to be innovative in our campaigns. I quit my global head of thoughtleadership corporate role in 2017, in a bid to bring a better balance to my life.

ISPR was created and now serves entrepreneurs & authors, mind, body & spirit brands, innovative technology and health & wellbeing businesses.

My branding was very purple when I first set out. I wanted to do something completely different to the corporate brands I had worked in who very much favoured blue, black and white.

The second re-brand of my business, because I very much believe how you show up evolves over time, happened last year. This time I was much cleared in how I wanted to show up and who I wanted to reach.

It is important to me, to show up in a way that is approachable but also amplify my more feminine approach to PR.

The logo is very much a nod to my energy work; how when we balance each chakra and energy centre; we are able to show up in a way that feels true and authentic. The multicoloured butterfly is all the stories that we carry within ourselves all equally colourful and beautiful in their own unique way, but forms part of the bigger picture.

My work involves helping others amplify their stories in a way that feels good - so I feel that my branding embodies this.

How has your unique brand identity contributed to the success and recognition of your business in the market?

As I mentioned the colours and logo is designed to invite people to approach me and my business. I wanted to showcase my expertise and playfulness and I believe that came across in my photoshoot. I had a lot of fun that day and believe the energy behind the images has contributed to attracting my clients. Since rebranding I have been invited to speak in groups, at summits and fun workshops for my target audience.

Can you share the journey of how you developed and refined your brand over time?

I believe we are always refining; and I currently teach business owners to tune in and review every three months how they are showing up.

Specifically for the second rebrand it took me around 3 months to develop and refine it to be what it is today. In fact it was the photo shoot I booked in the July, that really made me rethink how I wanted to show up .

Branding in crowded markets can be challenging. What obstacles did you face in establishing a strong brand, and how did you overcome them?

It can be challenging, but only if you allow other businesses to have an impact on what you are offering.

AI and Software like Canva and Adobe offer fabulous templates and can help you cut corners to create a consistent and beautiful look and feel - but it can be so easy to fall in to the trap of creating something similar to others.

I try to take those templates, infuse my energy and essence, effectively play with them until they align with how I want to show up.

How do you ensure that every customer interaction reflects your brand identity, and why is this consistency important?

Every three months I do a review of my business; I review my awareness strategy, the tone of voice, look and feel; and also dive into the topics and stories I want to focus on.

Sometimes it means that I am continuing to build on themes and stories I have begun to share, other times its a new fresh amplification of my brand identity.

Either way consistently showing up, investing time in ensuring everything - from PR, Marketing, Socials and Branding - is representative and aligned means your brand builds trust with your audience.

If you are constantly changing how you show up, customers can lose trust and confidence in your products and services.

In practical terms, how do you measure the impact and success of your branding efforts?

In practical terms I measure it based on my wait list and funnel. If I am in a state of flux my income and client base is a reflection of that. When I am clear on my message and who I want to work with, I begin to attract the right types of businesses.

Can you share an example of a branding misstep, what you learned from it, and how it influenced your approach going forward?

I have seen it multiple times; normally when a business goes through a rebrand, customers tend to drop off, because you are essentially reinventing your business.

When a major corporate I worked for, made drastic changes to its logo, brand identity and name, it meant there was an extremely heavy lifting job to nurture existing customers and retain brand loyalty.

I learnt from that when I rebranded my own business. I kept the name, and what I did change was my imagery (which was a reflection of the person I had grown into); and colours which had always been present, just not to the extent you see today.

What key pieces of advice would you give to new businesses trying to establish a strong brand in a competitive market?

Stay in your own lane - there is a tendency, especially in the online space, to rebrand and change things up because it is quite easy to do. All I'll say is, just because you can, doesn't mean that you should.

Grow into your identity - sometimes we outgrow our brand; so the advice I give to businesses is to visualise where you want to get to, and show up as that; this means we are less likely to outgrow our brand; and it means you begin to attract the customers you really want to work with.

Consistency is key - keep showing up. even if the competitive is stiff. Your clients will find you!